1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to imaging devices and more particularly to a device which assists an operator in replacing a supply of media in a media tray.
2. Background Art
Presently, media trays for many imaging devices are configured such that a print job must be paused or terminated in order to place additional print media in the media tray. When an imaging device runs out of media, the print job is paused and an error message is generated by the printer. The media supply is replenished and the print job resumes by a prompt from the user or automatically by the printer. This process may result is wasted time.
In many prior art imaging devices, paper or other media is placed into an open-front media tray by first pulling a generally vertically oriented tab which is connected to a slide arm that extends below the supply of media in the media tray. If paper remains in the tray, the trailing edge of the stack of remaining media is manually lifted and a leading edge of a stack of replacement media is positioned underneath the trailing edge of the stack of remaining media and laid along the length of the extended slide arm. The media is advanced forward in the tray by pushing the tab connected to the slide arm advancing the tab, the slide arm and the replacement media beneath the remaining media. The leading edge of the stack of replacement media may be damaged during this operation due to the fact that the media has a tendency to curve along the unsupported leading edge. As such, the stack of replacement media may be inadvertently pushed against the rear edge of the tray crimping, dinging or otherwise damaging the media.
There may be an advantage found in providing a device that assists with replenishing a supply of print media in a media tray. Additionally, advantage may be found in providing a device that supports the leading edge of a stack of replacement media so that risk of damage to a leading edge of the stack of replacement media may be minimized. In addition, advantage may be found in providing a device that assists with replenishing a supply of print media in a media tray while a print job continues without interruption.
The present invention is directed to a media tray refill shuttle for inserting a refill media into a media tray. The media tray refill shuttle includes a media support cassette including a media shuttle receiver and a media shuttle slideably engaged with the media support cassette. The media tray refill shuttle also includes a media shuttle translation element connected to the media shuttle for advancing the media shuttle from a first position, wherein the refill media is positioned and supported within the media support cassette towards a second position, wherein the refill media is shuttled from the media support cassette.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cmediaxe2x80x9d includes printable paper media, transparency media and photographic or image printing media. Likewise, the term xe2x80x9cmedia trayxe2x80x9d shall include printable paper media trays, transparency media trays and photographic or image printing media trays.
The present invention consists of the device hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.